To transplant a tree from a first location to a second location requires extracting a root ball that allows the tree to survive in the second location. The root ball must be of sufficient size and/or proper shape to ensure that the tree is physically anchored at the second location. The root ball must also be a sufficient size to ensure adequate uptake of nutrients, chemicals and water from the soil at the second location.
The size and shape requirements of the root ball that provide the best chance of a transplanted tree's survival vary based upon the species and size of the tree that is being transplanted.
Mechanizing a process of digging root balls of a desired size and shape faces challenges. For example, trees are often transplanted from tree nurseries in close quarters in order to maximize space on the nursery's land. Close quarters may restrict the size of machines that can access the trees that are to be transplanted. Furthermore, the tree canopy can impose a height restriction on the machinery, which can limit the downforce that the machinery can generate while digging. This downforce limitation may hinder the ability of machines to make a clean cut of the roots while forming a root ball.